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Bradford pulls bill on crimes against women in pregnancy

DENVER — Rep. Laura Bradford decided late Wednesday not to let a House committee hear her bill that would add crimes against pregnant women to the state’s criminal codes.

Bradford, a Collbran Republican, said people on both sides of the abortion issue couldn’t come together on the measure, which would have added felony crimes to the state’s criminal code for the intentional termination of a pregnancy other than through consent by the mother, as in an abortion.

Rep. Mark Waller, R-Colorado Springs, who introduced HB 1256 with her, said the intention behind the bill was to criminalize intentional acts against women because they are pregnant. He said the intent was never to criminalize abortions.

The measure is similar to one Bradford introduced last year, which died in committee.

That same committee was to hear it again this afternoon.

“It saddens me to know that those who commit crimes against unborn children may continue to go unpunished because those in the abortion debate cannot come together to find common ground on this criminal justice issue,” she said in a statement.